Couldn’t make it to PubCon (or were there so many fantastic sessions that you couldn’t hit them all?). For those who missed it, here’s my presentation from last week’s “Real World Winning Tactics For Content Creation” session.Â I discuss how to improve existing sites and how to leverage the power of content for better search rankings and conversions. Enjoy (and zip me at tweet at @heatherlloyd if you have any questions!).

My new Target Marketing Magazine blog about SEO copywriting and content marketing has finally hit the streets. I wrote my first post on the way home from DMA ’09 – a conference, where I (sadly) saw marketer after marketer ignoring their content marketing strategy.

I’m often asked if small businesses can really compete in the SEO content marketing space. After all, between creating customer personas, writing the copy and understanding the SEO nuances, a good SEO copywriting campaign seems like it would be out of reach of the typical business owner.

Hardly.

I want to share a site that “gets it” from a SEO and a content marketing perspective. The man who owns it, Daniel Iversen, isn’t a SEO expert. Nor is he a full-time copywriter (although, granted, he’s a naturally talented writer.) But, his combination of video, good messaging and a firm understanding of his target audience (plus some smart SEO techniques) has his site top of the search engine charts.

1. The homepage immediately showcases the benefits. Statements like “Lose weight – up to 12 lbs in 4 weeks” and “Energy all day,” quickly helps the visitor understand what’s in it for her.

2.The homepage overcomes objections without hitting the reader over the head. Afraid that you’ll be the token size-22 sweating in a room full of size-0 women? One bullet point discusses a “Supportive environment, with women just like you.” The testimonial on the left was provided by a “normal” woman – not a model with every hair in place. And the “Discover how to eat” bullet point targets women who think “Yeah, I can exercise – but I don’t know how to get my eating on track.

3. The testimonials are tremendous. Every site selling a product or service should include testimonials. Why? Because testimonials provide third-party validation for your products and services and can skyrocket conversion rates. People read testimonials and tend to think that if it worked for someone else, it may work for them, too (it’s called the “bandwagon effect” in consumer psychology.) The Portland Adventure Bootcamp site has an entire page devoted to testimonials, plus sprinkles other testimonials throughout the site. This power combo of written testimonials, engaging stories and video showcase the fitness program and helps women feel like “If they can do this, I can do.”

4. A good, descriptive Title. Granted, the Title could be written better for conversions (and it’s certainly something that can be tweaked later.) However, the current Title clearly states the target audience (women) what it is (fitness bootcamp) and where it’s located (Portland, OR.)This is great for local search, and positions well in the SERP’s.

5. The meta descriptions are top-notch.

I know that a lot of folks ignore the meta description, or use a basic template that’s more functional than enticing. But check out the power of a strong meta description on the SERP. Benefit statements like, “Lose weight, get in shape fast” scream off the page. “Burn maximum fat in minimum time” is a fantastic motivator. Makes you want to immediately click-through, doesn’t it?

This Website is a great example of how small businesses can rock the SERPs, create fantastic messaging that resonates with the target audience and connect with customers. Heck, it sold me – and as you can imagine, I’m ultra-critical of every Website I visit. Now if I could only get as good at jogging as I am at SEO… :)